Multiple Exposition to a Driving Simulator Reduces Simulator Symptoms for Elderly Drivers

This study examines how older drivers responded to repeated exposures to a driver simulator. Older active and fit drivers participated in 5 simulator sessions within a 14-day period. For each session, simulator sickness symptoms were measured with the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire at baseline and post-session. In addition, participants completed a 10-cm visual analog scale (0= no symptom, 10= mild nausea) at baseline and after a familiarization scenario and post-session. Overall, older adults adapted to the driving simulator and by the fourth session, they showed no difference in sickness scores between the baseline and the post-session measurements. Increasing the exposure duration at session 5 yielded an increase in the sickness symptoms. These results suggest that shorter- duration multiple exposures could reduce simulator sickness symptoms in elderly drivers and allow a more effective use of simulators for training by preventing early withdrawal of participants.